Last week my wife and I went to the symphony for her Christmas present. It was amazing! Beethoven’s 9th. The only problem was that we go to sleep listening to classical music and so when the slow pieces were playing we started to snooze. We woke up suddenly though during the last piece…you know the one: “Ode to Joy!”
We’re all familiar with the “Ode to Joy” theme. The Seattle Symphony was amazing and I was moved by their sound. What moved me even more were the lyrics to the song. I went to Germany on my mission, so I get excited when I hear German lyrics. The part that really moved me was this part of the song:
Seid umschlungen, Millionen, diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt! Brueder! Uebem Sternenzelt muss ein lieber Vater wohnen. Ihr stuerzt nieder, Millionen? Ahnest du den Schoepfer, Welt? Such’ ihn ueberm Sternenzelt! Ueber Sternen muss er wohnen.
The words are beautifully powerful and together with the music and vocals it moved me deeply. However, that might not mean much to you if you don’t speak German. Here’s the English translation:
Be embraced, all ye Millions with a kiss for all the world! Brothers, beyond the covering of the stars must dwell a loving Father. Do you bow down before him, O Millions? Do you feel the Creator’s presence? Search for him beyond the stars! He surely dwells beyond the stars.
As I heard this, something deep within my soul cried out “Yes! Yes! I search for Him. I feel His presence! Embrace me, Heavenly Father!”
This was a very moving experience for me. I do not know for certain many things, but many things I do know. I know that I have felt close to God as I sing praises to Him. I feel Him when I pray. I know that I have felt close to God as I’ve seen His creations. (see Alma 30:44) I know I’ve felt Heavenly Father’s love as I’ve shared love with others, for God is love. (see John chapter 4) I also feel His love through reading the scriptures about the Saviors ministry. As Elder Holland said in a conference talk, everything the Savior did while he was on earth testified of his Father and our Father in Heaven. (see talk “The Grandeur of God“) Jesus said he did nothing that he hadn’t first learned from the Father. (see John 8:38)
Joseph Smith stated that the first step necessary for excersizing faith in God unto salvation was to believe that God actually exists. (Lectures on Faith, pg 39)
So I pose the same question to you. Why do you believe there’s a God? Leave your comments below.
Grace for Grace 
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January 9, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Arielle
I am jealous about the Symphony- I bet it was Amazing:) Thanks for sharing those song lyrics, they were beautiful- isn’t it nice that we understand what this earth life is really about, and we get to enjoy Heavenly Fathers Blessings:)- Arielle
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January 9, 2008 at 9:55 pm
ZeeZrom
I don’t. I don’t know whether or not there is a god, and I have no qualms admitting that. However, after careful consideration, pondering, reading, rationale, et. al, I’ve come to the conclusion that there isn’t a god. And because I don’t believe in a god, I only have to live for myself and those that I love. And I mustn’t fear death, for I also don’t believe in hell. It’s a wonderful way to live life. It makes me very happy.
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January 21, 2008 at 12:21 am
Becca
After Aaron posted this, I remembered an email that I sent home to my family while serving as a missionary in Taiwan entitled Why Believe? I finally found it and thought I would share part of it here.
“We have a ward missionary, Wan Lin, who is one of
the most unbelievable people I have met. Everytime she comes with us to teach, she always has so many incredible stories to tell about prayers being answered, even in the most small and simple explanations, about how she gained a strong testimony of tithing, and how obvious the hand of the Lord has played in her life. And the person we were teaching said that next time she wanted to hear all those miracles that Sis. Cook and I had seen in the course of being a member our entire lives.
I tell you, it really got me thinking. Have I seen those kinds
of miracles that Wan Lin always talks about? Do I pray for the
rain to stop long enough for me to ride home and it does? After I pay my tithing do the house and car of my dreams fall immediately and affordably into my life? Have I been blessed through the Priesthood and the stomach pains completely go away? Of course, I have a handful of those experiences, but to the outside observer, not enough that would make them willing to come on a mission. But what the outside observer just can’t seem to understand is that the power of prayer is not simply seen in miracles occurring, seen in having all the things we want to see happen. The power of prayer is in how it makes us feel, that gentle promptings and guidings from the spirit, letting us know the best way to go, letting us know that our Heavenly Father truly does know us and wants us happy.
These are things that can’t very well be explained, only
experienced. And because of that, they can’t be refuted.
To me, it’s a big miracle experience that something so simple and subtle as the Holy Ghost has the power to bring us peace, knowledge, and direction in our lives if we are willing to humble ourselves. Through Him we really can know the truth of ALL things. And that’s the miraculous message. Not that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will appear to us and that’s why we can believe that they truly exist. It’s that we can feel of their love and their presence even though they seem so far away. That they are really there watching over us and want us to find the answers, they are just waiting for us to ask. I know that through learning line upon line and continually trusting in the Lord I have gained my own testimony of the gospel and that it can continue to grow as I do my part.”
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